By Charles Kiseh
Stakeholders in community health have held a two-day Step down
training meeting on the Operational Modalities that will be used in the implementation of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) response in Nigeria.
Participants for the meeting held in Benin City, Edo State were drawn from network of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), ACOMIN, Edo State Primary HealthCare Development Agency, Edo State Ministry of health,TB network and 15 Community based organizations (CBOs) and Traditional leaders.
Speaking during the two day Training on domestication of National Community System Strengthening (CSS) Framework Organised by the COVID 19 Response Mechanism Project Global Fund grant, Edo State NEPWHAN coordinator Friday Osayende enjoined all stakeholders and CBOs to stride hard in strengthening health system through Community Engagement.
According to Osayende, the Harmonized Community System Strengthening Framework will help the government in improving health care service delivery in the country especially at the grassroots level. He urged the stakeholders to always say something when they see something.
On his part the State ACOMIN Coordinator Ehis Omoruyi said the Harmonized Community System Strengthening Framework (CSS) would help the State in identifying gaps and addressing them in the Community, through engaging all stakeholders including the key Vulnerable populations. According to him the essence of the CSS is to create a sense of ownership of the PHCs by the communities and hold the government and the stakeholders responsible in playing their role to ensure quality health care services at the grassroots level.
In a goodwill message, the Malaria desk officer, Edo State primary health care development agency, Aifuwa Osagiede said the two day training has been an eye opener, getting feedback from the Community-based organisations (CBOs) who are in the field, adding that the training has giving the
participants good understanding of the National CSS and CLM Framework for Implementation Nationwide.
He commended the fifteen CBOs and other stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring that PHCs in the state are functioning as government alone can not do it.
Highpoint of the meeting was the group discussions, question and answer session.
